School Me on Surf Schools

[the.ronin]

I’m wondering why surf schools seem to be so focused on the aspect of standing up.

I’ve just begun teaching my wife how to surf. I’m equally surprised and stoked that she appears to have gotten the surf bug even though her first and second days out were the choppiest storm surf followed by a noticeable swell not so ideal for beginners. I’ve gotten her a 6-6 egg since I am a believer in learning on a shorter board, but let’s not get into the philosophy of that for now please.

Although I was almost entirely self taught, I’m trying to teach her the fundamentals of surfing as I see them prioritized. First and foremost, to notice the ocean – to take note of how, when and where its breaking. Second of course is etiquette. What is acceptable and what is not. The concept of right of way. Taking note of the surfers in the water and what their style shows be it agro aggressive or completely lost beginner – both of which warrants awareness for safety reasons. This is all before stepping even one foot in the water.

Once in the water, the focus is on paddling, sitting, and positional awareness. This is after all arguably more than 90% of the time spent surfing. During lulls, I try to explain the physics of surfing as it relates to the body and how muscles need to be trained over time allowing us to paddle more efficiently. I also try to explain how waves are formed and how different breaks create different waves.

Notice that nothing of my “curriculum” directly involves standing up. I just believe that to do so would skip way too far ahead. That at least a somewhat intimate understanding of these other “soft” skills will make standing up more natural and actually easier.

Yet why is it that surf schools are so focused on standing up?? The first thing I see them do on the beach is practice popping up. As if that’s so realistic?! Then they waddle over to the inside breaks with their over-sized barges that could float a house and ... this part I love the most ... some kid agent of the school is pushing them off onto tiny little waves while they wait lying down on these barges!!?? Let me clarify ... the would be student does NOT paddle onto the wave. They wait lying down on the barge while the child teacher pushes them onto the wave. Then they stand. Then I see the student the next day on a shiny new 10 foot barge with a perplexed look asking why he is having so much trouble paddling to catch waves. Perhaps they need another lesson, he wonders. Ok then.

Is this a matter of marketing and economics? I’d imagine the first question of students happens to be the most loaded – “How long before I can catch waves?” Is this is a way to maximize return on investment, so to speak? As in, ok, you want to catch a wave – we’ll get you standing up in 30 minutes flat. If that’s the case, that is fair enough. I’m as capitalist as the next American.

But if there is some fundamental reasoning to this approach, please tell me because I am dying to know.

[joem]

this isnt exactly my experince of surf schools
the one i went to first of all showed us how to paddle into white water, then sent us out to ride white whater prone, then they brought us back in and tought us to pop up, addmitdly this was done on 9 ft bardges, but after a few sessions on a hired fomie folwed by a break due to injury, and the another few sessions im happly rideing a 6' 6" short board shape with a little extra volume now bearing in mind i get to surf at best once a fortnite i think this is pretty good

[the.ronin]

Thanks for the response, joem.

Did the school you attend focus at all on paddling technique? It would to sound me to that you are progressing just fine. And if focus on getting up still allows for progression, then perhaps I may have been short sighted in my assessment.

[Snapple!]

Hey Ronin. At the surf school I went, I noticed exactly what you were saying in your second to last paragraph. I took the lesson on one of their 10 soft-tops, had them push me into the wave, which made it seem like surfing was so much easier then it looks. However, I was abruptly proven wrong the next day, when I rented and went out by myself and couldn't catch a damn thing. However, like you said, I took a moment to notice where the waves were breaking, and watch the other surfers in the water. Because of this, I went back out, and didn't have a problem catching a wave after that.
I believe your method of teaching is 110% more correct then the crap they were teaching me (the tourist) in Hawaii.
Good luck with teaching your wife! I wish I had a girlfriend that wants to surf as much as I do

[Sar]

Ronin, you sound like an excellent teacher.

I went to a surf school for my first go and they showed us how to pop up on dry land and the signal for distress in the water (one hand straight up in the air - not waving it around as if you're waving at someone on the beach) and then we went into the water. I can safely say that the whole group (me included) were entirely focused on standing up. All we knew about paddling is what we have seen on the TV

I think the reason that surf schools only school people on the standing up part is because that is all most people new to surfing are interested in. What you are doing is great but many people starting out would probably not listen and just ask - "so how do I stand up?". If people do manage to stand up the the 2.5 hr session then the company will probably be highly recommended by them to other people who want to learn = more money and not as much effort investment as you're putting in. Also bear in mind that many surf schools may be operating on the premis that most of these people wont take up surfing and just want to give it a go and be able to say that they stood up. - This may be why people also believe surfing is easy

[phillwilson]

a nob of agreement in all directions......

as a person whonow cant imagine not living by the flow of the waves, I loved to read Ronins initial comments, I am new to this and will attempt to teach myself useingexactly the breakdown that you described,I thought it was very well articulated.

on the other hand, if I hadnt had a good instructoer who tauch me the saftey followed by white water bodyboarding followed by pop up technique.. I dont think i would have stood up while on my holiday and therefore it would have all probably passed into one of those thing i have "tried once" ....as it stands thanks to the initial quick fix, I imagine i will be a surf junkie till my joints give out.

[phillwilson]

a nod of agreement in all directions......

as a person whonow cant imagine not living by the flow of the waves, I loved to read Ronins initial comments, I am new to this and will attempt to teach myself useingexactly the breakdown that you described,I thought it was very well articulated.

on the other hand, if I hadnt had a good instructoer who tauch me the saftey followed by white water bodyboarding followed by pop up technique.. I dont think i would have stood up while on my holiday and therefore it would have all probably passed into one of those thing i have "tried once" ....as it stands thanks to the initial quick fix, I imagine i will be a surf junkie till my joints give out.

[isaluteyou]

Its good that you are trying o explain the insa and outs of surfing but from my experiences with teaching people anything not just surfing its never a good idea to overload the information. To use a seperate example but somewhat related.

Instead of explaining to my friend how a guitar was built, scales, picking, strumming, how to improvise, tapping etc etc... i just got him to play an easy song he liked in the easiest possible way. Its only when he started getting a bit better that i went indepth. POint being just tell em the important basics as 99.9999999% of any improvements are made by individual interest and assertivness. Hopefully i explained that right

premis that most of these people wont take up surfing and just want to give it a go and be able to say that they stood up

i read an article somewhere that suggested 80% or more people who took lessons never actually took up surfing properly. not sure if thats accurate but im leaning towards agreeing

[joem]

Thanks for the response, joem.

Did the school you attend focus at all on paddling technique? It would to sound me to that you are progressing just fine. And if focus on getting up still allows for progression, then perhaps I may have been short sighted in my assessment.

un fortuantly it sounds like this is the exeption not the rules this guy told us about using the s strokes when paddleling and how you need to get some more strokes in after you feel the wave pushing you, he did ask at the start of the lesson who wanted to lern to surf and who just wanted to stand up and the taloured how he taught us to suit, i went for a second lesson at the same place and there was a similar aproch, also both instructors taught us about rips and ettiquet

[Sar]

premis that most of these people wont take up surfing and just want to give it a go and be able to say that they stood up

i read an article somewhere that suggested 80% or more people who took lessons never actually took up surfing properly. not sure if thats accurate but im leaning towards agreeing

I left this bit out - From the 8 people that I took the lesson with, only I have bought a board. I got one shaped for me because I knew that my boyfriend would take it up if he could use my bic but wasnt up for buying one himself.

[Thibb]

Also, I'd say that at least 50% of the people who take a lesson are just in it for the kick. They are on holiday and have a list of things of things they want to do in Australia, California, Hawaii or wherever. Surfing's on it. Taken the lesson, stood up and somewhat rode the wave? Cross 'surfing' off the list and move on to kangaroo petting, a guided tour of Hollywood, seeing the set for Lost or whatever. NEXT!

As for the.ronin's approach, I kinda agree with isaluteyou, having taught people to play guitar myself. Fundamentals and theory matter, but are best taught while the student is having fun. For starters because it will help to keep him/her stoked and secondly because theory just doesn't make sense to the completely uninitiated. I.e. water just doesn't make sense on land. How do you explain to someone what the right time is to pop up if they have never enjoyed the sensation of nose diving by popping up too late?

[the.ronin]

Thanks for everyone’s responses. And Sars, thank you for the particular vote of confidence.

... POint being just tell em the important basics as 99.9999999% of any improvements are made by individual interest and assertivness.

i read an article somewhere that suggested 80% or more people who took lessons never actually took up surfing properly. not sure if thats accurate but im leaning towards agreeing

Ok very interesting comments, isaluteyou ... when I first started reading your post, I was leading myself to believe you were of the surfing school school of thought – that focus on standing up is what interests people therefore that should form the basis of learning to surf. But your closing statements are actually leading me to think the contrary.

And perhaps that’s the disconnect that surfing schools are forced to deal with. Who in there right mind wants to learn to surf by spending 90% of their time (and money) learning to paddle? Yet that is in fact 90% of surfing.

[LucasG]

Thanks for everyone’s responses. And Sars, thank you for the particular vote of confidence.

... POint being just tell em the important basics as 99.9999999% of any improvements are made by individual interest and assertivness.

i read an article somewhere that suggested 80% or more people who took lessons never actually took up surfing properly. not sure if thats accurate but im leaning towards agreeing

Ok very interesting comments, isaluteyou ... when I first started reading your post, I was leading myself to believe you were of the surfing school school of thought – that focus on standing up is what interests people therefore that should form the basis of learning to surf. But your closing statements are actually leading me to think the contrary.

And perhaps that’s the disconnect that surfing schools are forced to deal with. Who in there right mind wants to learn to surf by spending 90% of their time (and money) learning to paddle? Yet that is in fact 90% of surfing.

I guess another thing that matters is some people go to surf schools just for fun and have it as an easy experience rather than really doing it as a sport and having to go through all the difficult parts of surfing, if you know what I mean. While someone that really wants to learn to surf and do it constantly, would want a more difficult and deeper session.

[the.ronin]

... best taught while the student is having fun. For starters because it will help to keep him/her stoked and secondly because theory just doesn't make sense to the completely uninitiated ...

How do you explain to someone what the right time is to pop up if they have never enjoyed the sensation of nose diving by popping up too late?

Thank you Thibb ... your second point is excellent in my mind. I think this certainly holds water, no pun intended, in terms of subscribing to the pushed-into-a-wave style of teaching.

Your first point however is something I really want to expand on.

Granted, I first started learning to surf with one intent in mind – catch waves. But over time, I began to develop an appreciation for surfing that far transcended the wave riding. These were not mind shattering realizations. Rather they were just simple acknowledgements of how things were. The beauty of the ocean. The peacefulness of glassy surf. The cool sound of light rain splattering against the water. The primitive pecking order that didn’t care whether you were rich, poor, dumb or smart. Surfing slowly turned from a superficial athletic pursuit to a haven from life’s relentless and ineffectual activism, to borrow a phrase.

I think herein lies the disconnect. I would argue that people who have spent time in the water gravitate to this mindset. They no longer view surfing as an athletic sport but rather a way of life – even if only serving as a temporary reprieve. In doing so, we develop a respect for surfing that, to distill it down to standing up, would be nothing short of blasphemy.

So to speak back to your first point, Thibb, for us, fun *IS* getting a perspective on aspects of surfing *other than* simply standing up. For us, standing up is just gravy.

[drowningbitbybit]

But over time,

There's your critical sentence - surf schools are a business. They want you to pay for your half day and "surf". They want everyone on the beach to see these newbies "surfing" and then pay for their half day.

A surf school will soon go out of business if its only taking the surfers with a Zen-like appreciation of the ocean.

Just like a cab driver doesnt take you the scenic route, surf schools are about time and money.

[RJD]

Not been to a surf school but theres meny here.

IMO they all have the heart in the right place.

Do it first time and its to gvie you a bit of stoke about the sport. Get you on your feet on a 'wave' regardless of ability or fitness etc.

But I see many people NOT on their first lesson. The instructors are teaching them correct techniques, getting them out back and onto clean waves. They have foamis yes but also some bics etc for the more advanced learners.

I'm sure many of them would give one-on-one lessons to more experienced but not pro surfers.

After all there there for the stoke too, ther (well here) aer keen surfers trying to make a living doing what they love best, afetr all who wouldnt?

But a lot of that money is one shot one go tourist cash who want to 'surf', and tomorrow they'll abseil or horse treck....

[garbarrage]

simply put i think we're all missing one really important aspect, and that is the differentiation between a "surf school" and someone who teaches you to surf for money...

i learned through an instructor. albeit from about 3 lessons, but he was very thorough to the point of sitting with us afterwards explaining surf forecasting in his own time.... there was an element of it that focused on getting us standing and turning but most of what was taught was about safety, rips, and right of way. the guy wasnt limited to one beach and took us to suitable breaks in suitable conditions.

on the other hand, there are a few "schools" i could but won't mention over here that i've seen bring absolute beginners into storm surf to "surf" white water where not a single "student" could even get on a board let alone ride a wave....

i agree with ronin in that there are unscrupulous surf schools, for sure... but let us not tar all instructors with the same brush... i will be the first one to advocate ony a few lessons and am very sceptical of the value of one to one lessons... the rest is about common sense and respect, there is only so much even the most responsible of teachers can teach.
the rest is up to the student.

i should qualify all of this by saying that a few early lessons helped me a lot, and more than anything else taught me a certain amount of awareness, or at ther very least taught me which things to be looking out for so that my own self education could continue..

[isaluteyou]

Thanks for everyone’s responses. And Sars, thank you for the particular vote of confidence.

... POint being just tell em the important basics as 99.9999999% of any improvements are made by individual interest and assertivness.

i read an article somewhere that suggested 80% or more people who took lessons never actually took up surfing properly. not sure if thats accurate but im leaning towards agreeing

Ok very interesting comments, isaluteyou ... when I first started reading your post, I was leading myself to believe you were of the surfing school school of thought – that focus on standing up is what interests people therefore that should form the basis of learning to surf. But your closing statements are actually leading me to think the contrary.

And perhaps that’s the disconnect that surfing schools are forced to deal with. Who in there right mind wants to learn to surf by spending 90% of their time (and money) learning to paddle? Yet that is in fact 90% of surfing.

Spot on

However i allow myself to make contradictory statements - Although i dont have much luck teaching people to surf (the lifeguard rescue was not my fault very funny story ) im always of the mind if they dont get the bug then going into too much detail about waves, position, paddling is wasted breath. Its when they have a keeness to learn thats when you get into detail. I have personal experience of knowing someone who by some mirracle has the bug but will never be a surfer why beacuse they far too wrapped up in the tech rather than just getting up and saying Flesh it and surf.

Everyone learns in a different way i guess but im of the opinion that surfing is a natural progression technique is vital like paddling position etc etc but that comes much much later on and is something only the individual can really advance in and only by personally experience not through instruction although that can help.

[LOLRuss]

They focus on standing up to make sure you get the stoke.

[crepuscular]

well... surf school pretty much can tell you what you are doing wrong, and tell you how to look for a wave so you won't waste too much energy when you are trying to catch a wave that will not break at the place you expecting it to break.

what i did was i take 2 weeks break from each lesson to practice on my own...